Updated: September 30, 2022
Legislature during COVID-19. PC: Hawai’i Senate Majority
The Hawaiʻi State Senate today announced its 2021 leadership and committee assignments ahead of the Thirty-First Legislature that opens on Jan. 20, 2021.
Maui Senator J. Kalani English maintains his role as Senate Majority Leader and takes on a vice chair role for the Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. Fellow Maui Senator Gil Keith-Agaran will Vice Chair the Water and Land Committee and the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Senator Roz Baker of Maui chairs the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and will vice chair the Committee on Health.
“With the election now over, it is important to quickly organize members of the Senate so that we can begin the important work of preparing for the upcoming legislative session,” said Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. “We are confident that these new committee assignments are reflective of our practice of making the best use of our members’ skills and experiences.”
Leadership and members in the sixteen standing committees are:
Leadership
- President: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi
- Vice President: Senator Michelle N. Kidani
- Majority Leader: Senator J. Kalani English
- Majority Caucus Leader: Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha
- Majority Policy Leader: Senator Les Ihara, Jr.
- Minority Leader/Floor Leader: Senator Kurt Fevella
Committee Assignments
Agriculture and Environment (AEN)
- Gabbard, Mike (Chair)
- Nishihara, Clarence (Vice Chair)
- Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
- Rhoads, Karl
- Fevella, Kurt
Commerce and Consumer Protection (CPN)
- Baker, Rosalyn H. (Chair)
- Chang, Stanley (Vice Chair)
- Misalucha, Bennette
- Nishihara, Clarence
- Riviere, Gil
- San Buenaventura, Joy
- Fevella, Kurt
Education (EDU)
- Kidani, Michelle N. (Chair)
- Kim, Donna Mercado (Vice Chair)
- Dela Cruz, Donovan
- Kanuha, Dru Mamo
- Fevella, Kurt
Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism (EET)
- Wakai, Glenn (Chair)
- Misalucha, Bennette (Vice Chair)
- Lee, Chris
- Riviere, Gil
- Fevella, Kurt
Government Operations (GVO)
- Moriwaki, Sharon Y. (Chair)
- Taniguchi, Brian T. (Vice Chair)
- Chang, Stanley
- Gabbard, Mike
- Fevella, Kurt
Hawaiian Affairs (HWN)
- Shimabukuro, Maile S. L. (Chair)
- Kahele, Kaialiʻi ** (Vice Chair)
- Ihara, Jr., Les
- Keohokalole, Jarrett
- Fevella, Kurt
Health (HTH)
- Keohokalole, Jarrett (Chair)
- Baker, Rosalyn (Vice Chair)
- Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
- San Buenaventura, Joy
- Fevella, Kurt
Housing (HOU)
- Chang, Stanley (Chair)
- Kanuha, Dru Mamo (Vice Chair)
- Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
- Rhoads, Karl
- Fevella, Kurt
Higher Education (HRE)
- Kim, Donna Mercado (Chair)
- Kidani, Michelle N. (Vice Chair)
- Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S. C.
- Wakai, Glenn
- Fevella, Kurt
Human Services (HMS)
- San Buenaventura, Joy (Chair)
- Ihara, Jr., Les (Vice Chair)
- Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
- Misalucha, Bennette
- Fevella, Kurt
Judiciary (JDC)
- Rhoads, Karl (Chair)
- Keohokalole, Jarrett (Vice Chair)
- Gabbard, Mike
- Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
- Kim, Donna Mercado
- Lee, Chris
- Fevella, Kurt
Labor, Culture and Arts (LCA)
- Taniguchi, Brian T. (Chair)
- Ihara, Jr., Les (Vice Chair)
- Chang, Stanley
- Keohokalole, Jarrett
- Fevella, Kurt
Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs (PSM)
- Nishihara, Clarence K. (Chair)
- English, J. Kalani (Vice Chair)
- Baker, Rosalyn H.
- Riviere, Gil
- Fevella, Kurt
Transportation (TRS)
- Lee, Chris (Chair)
- Inouye, Lorraine R. (Vice Chair)
- English, J. Kalani
- Shimabukuro, Maile S. L.
- Fevella, Kurt
Water and Land (WTL)
- Inouye, Lorraine R. (Chair)
- Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S.C. (Vice Chair)
- Misalucha, Bennette
- Riviere, Gil
- Fevella, Kurt
Ways and Means (WAM)
- Dela Cruz, Donovan M. (Chair)
- Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S.C. (Vice Chair)
- English, J. Kalani
- Inouye, Lorraine R.
- Kanuha, Dru Mamo
- Kidani, Michelle N.
- Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
- Shimabukuro, Maile S. L.
- Taniguchi, Brian T.
- Wakai, Glenn
- Fevella, Kurt
** Senator Kaialiʻi Kahele was recently elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. The process to fill his State Senate seat (as outlined in Hawaii Rev. Stat., §17-3) will begin immediately following his formal resignation.
Original source: https://mauinow.com/2020/11/05/senate-leadership-and-committee-assignments-for-31st-legislature/